Chapter 314: Virtual Learning
*My fear is that at the end of this, all these little hearts are going to have been broken. – Rye*
They extended spring break by a week. Which was fine, Rye enjoyed having another week with her boys. Michael was just over two years old, and you could not tell that he was born early addicted to heroin.
Little Alan was just a few weeks shy of a year. He was due the first week of summer break. Rye started having contractions during kindergarten graduation. She powered through the ceremony and part of the reception.
But of course, her ever observant husband knew something was wrong. Priscilla took Michael and was the first Lowery allowed in her recovery room. After cooing over the newborn and handing Michael to his father, she went out and saw Celt.
“I guess you heard that Chance didn’t pass out or puke?”
As the door closed, the parents could hear the Saints in the hall laughing. Celt half-heartedly told the teen to shut up.
Now with all classes having moved virtually, Priscilla had moved into Geo’s old room. She had been staying with them for space to breath before the pandemic made its way to Massachusetts. With the death of her Momma Becks earlier in the year, she had become very close to Rye. They both had lost a parent at an early age and her own house was filled with too many memories.
Geo had graduated college in August and went to boot camp in September. A large group had gone to his graduation at Paris Island. Anthony and Tilly had loved seeing their unofficial first grandchild.
They had come back up for Christmas. And Rye was surprised when they and Bass flew to Vegas for Becks funeral. It had taken some time before she could really have a relationship with Bass. But they were slowly getting there.
It was three in the afternoon and her alarm chimed on her phone. This was something that Evie suggested. It not only kept her on schedule but kept the day moving faster. Since everything was virtual, the schedule and alarms were needed more than ever.
“Did everyone hear that?” Rye asked her class that was in little squares on two TV screens on the opposite wall.
There were squeals of excitement from the twenty little squares.
“Everyone have a good weekend and I’ll see you on Monday.” She told them and waited for all the squares to go black before she herself logged off.
Taking off her rabbit ears from story time, Peter Rabbit was still one of her favorites, she turned towards the door. Priscilla stood in the doorway with a glass of wine. Rye stood up and stretched before accepting the offered glass.
It was a rule that Chance had made after the second time that Priscilla drank herself stupid after her mother’s death. No drinking by herself and no more than two drinks a day. Technically, she was not old enough to drink, but Chance admitted that his family saw that more as a guideline.
“Somehow, we expect kids to turn twenty-one and suddenly know how to drink and know when to stop. You have to take the drivers’ ed classes before you can drive. Think of this time as drinkers’ ed.”
Sniffing the glass, Rye was hit by the tangy smell of cranberry juice. There were some secrets youcould not hide from some people. There was no way anyone could hide a pregnancy from the oldest child of fifteen. Or was it now sixteen?
“How were your classes?” Rye asked as they walked out to living room.
“Boring.” She shrugged. “I always thought college would be more exciting.”
“Maybe in fall when all this crazy is over.” Rye said as she sat down on the couch looking at her two sleeping sons. They lay on a blanket pallet one on either side of Roxy. The scarred dog adored both boys and it was mutual.
“Hopefully.” Priscilla agreed quietly. “I miss her.” She sat down next to Rye.
“I know.” Rye placed a comforting arm around the younger woman’s shoulders. “You’ll always miss her. But you’ll always have her with you.”
They sat there for a while in silence. When Michael started to stir, Priscilla went and sat on the blanket with the two boys. Roxy placed her head on Priscilla’s lap and silently waited for attention. With a little laugh, she obliged.
“Come on, buddy, let’s go to the bathroom.” Priscilla told Michael as she stood up. At eighteen, she was an expert at potty training.
After a trip to the bathroom, Michael ran back to his mom. “I hit O!”
“You did?” she asked just as excited as him.
“He hit the cheerio. The lid. The seat. The floor.” Priscilla smiled. “We cleaned it up.”
“I know grown men that don’t always hit the cheerio.” Rye laughed.
“Momma Becks always said that when dad was drunk, they should put eggs in the toilet. He always seemed to hit them.”
Rye couldn’t help but laugh. “How’s he doing?”
Priscilla looked at her with sadness in her eyes. “I’m afraid he’s in the box with her.”
“It’s hard.” Rye said gently.
“He’s been hanging out with Evie a lot. And Law.”
“They both know where he is.”
Priscilla nodded. “Leo is coming over. Is that OK?”
“Of course.” She kissed her son on the head and then sat him on the floor. “How about some cookies for a snack?”
“Tookies!” he screamed as he ran for the table. Alan squealed on the blanket.
“You get cookies, I’ll get him.” Priscilla offered and Rye nodded.
When Chance arrived home, Alan was fussy wanting his dad and dinner. Coming into the house through the mudroom, he hung up his cut and helmet. His clothes from the day went into the washer before he headed upstairs for a shower. When he came back down, she scooped up his crawl away son.
“Are you escaping?” he asked the now giggling boy as he squealed da-da.
“I gave up on keeping him contained.” Rye admitted as she pulled lasagna out of the oven.
“I don’t blame you.” He kissed his wife even as their son tried to push them apart. “Where’s Priss?”
“Out back with Michael and Leo.”
“How’s she doing?”
“Hurting. It’s going to take some time. I’m just glad that her and Leo made up.” She said as they watched the younger couple in the back yard playing with the little boy and Roxy.
The three of them were playing tag. Roxy ran around with them yipping happily. Priscilla ran away from Leo, but he grabbed her and picked her up. They heard her squeal and then all three of them were laughing. Leo sat her on her feet and said something to Michael.
As the boy headed back inside, followed by the dog, the man kissed the young woman.
“Yuck!” Michael declared coming inside and seeing his parents doing the same thing.
“Get used to it kid.” Chance said. “Because I love kissing your mom.”
“Which one are you telling?”
“Both of them.”
Smiling, Rye kissed him before moving away. “Better start saying all three of them.”
**Next is Pagan**
*Author’s Note – I’m going to have to take a little time off to get the next story worked out. I will be back next week, but will only be updating on Tuesdays, Thursdays and once over the weekend. Thanks for your understanding.* <3
